“Your life won’t change unless you change something you do every day.”
I’m reading a book that’s new to me. Many people around me are talking excitedly about it.
I thought, Why not give it a try? “Atomic Habits” by James Clear was really popular then. I wanted to find out why everyone was so excited about it. We all have habits, right?
Many of us likely have habits that we think are good for our mental or physical health, and some habits that we know aren’t the healthiest choices.
Usually, when I come across popular books and advice from self-help experts, I just brush it off and continue with my usual routine.
I realized that I often judge a book by its cover (no pun intended). Looking back, it’s probably not the healthiest habit to be stuck in.
I thought if there’s anything to this habit-building stuff, I might as well start now and hold off on judging this book until I actually have something to judge!
Shortly after buying and reading this book, I had a chat with my good friend, Daniel Greer. Dan and I usually chat while taking breaks from CDL testing and training sessions.
I asked Dan about what he does every day that’s crucial for reaching his goals and growing his company, which is not only liked by the community but also expanding quickly every day.
Dan basically told me something surprisingly similar to what my new book was saying. He asked me about my habits. He asked about my morning habits and how I relax after a hectic day. We realized my schedule lacked structure, and I lived spontaneously, taking each moment as it came. Being in the moment is good, but too much of it is not. It’s like having too much of a good thing—not great. We should enjoy the present, but too many good moments can turn into a bad thing. That’s the catch.
Then, we talked about areas where I thought I needed more organization. I suggested that forming some good habits could make me more productive and improve my attitude.
Even in my craziest dreams, I never thought that making small changes could have such a big impact on my life. I used to hate waking up and beginning my day, but now I’m as excited for a regular Tuesday as your dog is when you come home after a long day at work. A task list that usually took two days got done in just half the time.
This made me feel more sure of myself, more motivated, and more productive. It wasn’t only at work but also in my personal life. This positive change boosted my confidence and sense of value, bringing improvement in both my professional and personal aspects.
Remembering that the first step is the toughest is something many find challenging, cliché as it may sound. Creating healthy habits is tricky, but breaking them might be even tougher. It’s a common struggle we face—starting is tough, and sticking to good habits is no piece of cake either.
Building habits is hard because it depends on self-control. How strong is your willpower? Will you have another slice of chocolate cake? Will you skip the gym due to a ‘long day’? Are you staying up late to catch up on your favorite show? It’s all about making choices and sticking to them. Or…
Can you resist dessert tonight to build healthier eating habits? Can you manage a workout despite extra work and a stressful day? Can you hit the hay on time and save the binge-watching for the weekend? Well, here’s a news flash… It’s about making choices that contribute to your well-being and sticking to them.
There’s plenty of chocolate cake around. If you make a habit of going to the gym every day, there will come a time when you won’t want to miss it, no matter how ‘long’ your day feels. And that favorite Netflix show? It’ll be there for you on Saturday evening. Prioritizing healthy routines ensures there’s always time for things you enjoy.
Making these changes may seem really hard, and sometimes it feels like you’re being tough on yourself. But you’re not. You’re actually growing, and they call it growing pains for a reason. So, let’s shift our perspective a bit and see things differently.
Take a look at where you might be picking up not-so-healthy habits and see how they’re impacting you. Now, consider how things could get better if you focused on turning that not-so-healthy habit into one that boosts not just your health and happiness but your success too.
Someone once said, “Important things aren’t simple.” This is one of those important things. Trust me. So, no, it won’t be easy at first. But soon, it will be more than easy. What used to be hard will become your strongest habit. Stick with it, and you’ll see how it gets better. Developing healthy habits becomes your most powerful tool, propelling you forward as you work towards your goals.
So, I’ll leave you with two questions to think about:
- Identify the habit you think is most harmful to your success.
- Consider how you can reshape that habit to support you instead of working against you.
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